Crazy in Love
by OhWillothewisp
Summary: Adalind goes after Nick, using a zaubertrank to make him obsessed with her. But as his obsession grows Adalind begins to understand the Grimm better than ever and realizes he may not be the only one feeling something he can't explain. When the spell is broken and the emotions still linger, they both begin to question what is real and what they mean to each other.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Warning: Dub-con due to a spell, obsession, canon events in non-canon ways

Note: This is set in season one in an AU where Nick and Juliette were never together and Adalind decides to go after Nick instead of Hank.

This was written for the Small Fandom Bang. My eternal gratitude to the smallfandombang mod who was more than understanding in allowing my to post after my assigned date, when real life issues prevented me from posting when I was supposed to.

Thank you also to my wonderful beta (who doesn't have an LJ account) who made this story better than it would have been otherwise. 3

Thank you to my wonderful artist! I had the great honor to work with Gryphon2k who made the most incredible art for this story. Go check it out...seriously, if you do nothing else, go take a look at what she made and tell her how awesome she is.

LJ: .  
AO3: /works/6806155

"I have loved to the point of madness. That which is called madness. That which to me is the only sensible way to love." ~ Francoise Sagan.

Adalind's heels clicked as she walked across the hard linoleum floor of the police station. She was here for a specific purpose and she wasn't going to let anyone stop her. Not that they could. She wasn't one to back down once she set her mind to something. She looked around, careful to avoid Sean. She could see him in his office talking on the phone and made a point to stay out of his line of sight. This was going against what he had told her to do. A direct order, in his mind, was something to be followed. But she wasn't one of his underlings, bowing to his every wish. He thought he was smart. He thought he knew better than her. But she would show him. She would show him what a hexenbeist could do. He had told her to go after Nick's friends, his friends were the best way to get to the Grimm. But why pussyfoot around? Why go the long route to get what she wanted? She could let him think he was in charge, but she knew she was the one in control. She always got what she wanted, and she wanted the Grimm. At least she wanted what the Grimm could do for her. No reason playing games, at least not the games Sean wanted her to play, when she knew how to get to the Grimm.

It was almost too easy. She already had her potion ready in a small vile in her pocket. She watched and waited until Nick left his desk. She passed by and with a small movement poured her concoction into his coffee. She was still there when his partner came back and sat down. He looked at her questioningly.

"Can I help you with something?"

"I hope so." She kept her voice sweet and soft, "Is Nick around? I wanted to talk to him."

"Is something the matter?" He grew tense and she could see him shifting into cop mode, ready to take on whatever evil might be troubling her.

"It's nothing, really. This is probably weird, but I wanted to thank him. He saved my life recently and I guess I just wanted him to know how grateful I am. I probably look like a stalker or something." She played her part perfectly, putting just the right amount of embarrassment into her voice. She was the damsel in distress, coming to thank her knight in shining armor from saving her from the big bad dragon.

Hank responded as she had expected him to, relaxing. "There's nothing to be embarrassed about. Nick is a good cop and few people take the time to show their appreciation. It's not an easy job; it's good to know we make a difference."

"Oh you do! I have always respected the work that you do. If it weren't for people like you and Nick the world would descend into chaos! It is men like you that keep the rest of us safe!" Her voice was dripping with saccharine sweetness. She tried not to overdo it though, she didn't want to come across as a badge bunny or like she was trying to get on his good side.

Nick returned to his desk his smile fading as soon as he saw her. She could see he was prepared for war.

"Adalind. What are you doing here?" There was a sneer in his voice and she chose to misunderstand his meaning.

"You remember my name?" She smiled sweetly as if genuinely pleased that he actually remembered her, and that she wasn't just another face he had met in his considerable career as a cop.

"Of course I remember you. I don't think I'll ever forget you." His voice was harsh, and she recoiled this time, not dramatically, just a small movement back as if she didn't understand his tone.

"I'm sorry. This is probably inappropriate, showing up at your work without warning. I'm not a stalker, I swear. I just wanted to thank you. You saved my life, and I wouldn't be here right now if it weren't for you. That's all, I wanted to say thank you, tell you how grateful I am." She smiled tentatively keeping her voice uncertain, as if she was upset this wasn't going the way she had expected. Nick's expression didn't change and for a moment she thought Hank might say something, in her defense or in Nick's she wasn't sure, but he stayed silent.

"Fine you've said your piece. Now go." Nick's words were severe and she let her smile fade away. She turned to go then, wiping an imaginary tear from her eye as she spoke, "I'm sorry to have bothered you."

She walked away and as she did she heard Hank talking low, "What was that about?" She didn't wait to hear Nick's response. She didn't need to. It didn't matter what Nick told Hank. He could lie or tell him everything. She had done what she came to do. She looked back briefly, just because she had to be sure. She saw Nick taking a sip of his coffee and she turned away to ensure he wouldn't see the smile that curved her lips. Her plan was in place now, and no matter what Sean said, there was no going back now. It had played out as she had meant it to.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I apologize for the delay. This story is complete and crossposted to AO3 (same username as this account). When I tried posting the complete story to this site I messed something up and I didn't have a chance to correct it until now. This is the first story in the 'verse, and there will be at least one more. Comments and critiques are welcome, if I made a mistake please let me know and I will correct it! :)

Adalind waited a few days, gave her spell time to take effect, she wasn't in any hurry. She would get what she wanted. Her cellphone vibrated on the counter and she wondered if it was the Grimm. When she looked down, she was disappointed to see it was Sean. She pressed ignore. She knew what he was going to say, and she didn't need to hear it. He hadn't heard from her in a few days and he didn't like having anything out of his control. But this wasn't his plan anymore, it was hers. She was the one in control. She was done letting others make decisions, not when she clearly knew better than all of them. Her phone vibrated again, it was Sean again. She hit ignore again. He couldn't take a hint, it would seem. Almost immediately his name reappeared on the screen. He wasn't going to stop calling her. She sighed; there was nothing she could say that would appease him. But in time he would learn to have more faith in her. Or he wouldn't. Either way, she was done listening to him. She set his ring tone to silent. Problem solved, at least for the time being. She smiled to herself, Sean had underestimated her. That was a mistake he would only make once.

She waited what she suspected would be a decent amount of time, three days to be exact, and then hung around outside a coffee shop she had seen Nick frequent. She waited until he was coming through the door and then she "accidentally" walked into him, spilling her coffee down the front of his shirt.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't even see you there." She grabbed napkins off the table beside her and started to rub at his shirt, at first he was smiling and started to tell her not to worry about it. He was all grace and charm. She saw the moment he realized who she was. His smile fell away and turned instead into the anger she was familiar with from him. He grabbed hold of her wrist and pulled her away from him. People were looking at them and she knew Nick wouldn't do anything to her. Not here at least. He was a Grimm, and she was a hexenbeist, and the significance of that was starting to take effect in him. But right now they were in public and he was a cop and she was a patron who had accidentally spilled her coffee all over him. If he did anything to her right now it would look like an act of aggression over an innocent mistake.

"What are you doing here? Are you following me?"

"Get over yourself, Nick. I was getting coffee. This is a public space. I'm sorry about what happened, I shouldn't have come to your work to talk to you. But I want us to be friends. You saved my life; you didn't have to help me. You could have let the Queen Mellifer kill me, but you chose to save me. That means something."

His grip on her wrist tightened, and he leaned in close, "It means that I made a mistake. I don't know what kind of game you're playing, but it won't work. I know who, and what you are. If it comes down to it again I won't be there to save you."

"That's not very cop like of you, Nick."

"I'm not just a cop and you know that."

"People are watching, so I suggest you let me go now or I will scream and then you can explain to these nice people exactly who and what you are. See how well that works out." Her voice was a harsh whisper, and she didn't try to pretend to be sweet now. It didn't matter anymore, her plan was in motion and soon the Grimm would be hers.

He looked down as if he had forgotten he was still holding onto her. He let go of her and pulled away as if he had been burned. He made a point of smiling then, false charm in his voice; he spoke more loudly now, "Don't worry about it. It's really fine. Believe me, I've been through worse. A little coffee isn't going to hurt me. I'll be seeing you around." He pushed past her and she took a moment to watch him before she left. 'I'll be seeing around' the words rung in her mind. She didn't know what he had meant by that. It would appear that her Grimm had plans of his own for her.


	3. Chapter 3

She put her head back, her blonde hair moving around her shoulders. She ran her hand down his arm. "I've wanted you. Wanted this." Her voice was soft as she took his hand and started to lead him. He could smell her perfume as she pushed him back onto the bed. He wanted to be with her, close to her, she could see it in the way he looked at her. He pulled her down on top of him and rolled them over so he was on top of her.

The alarm blared waking her from her dream. Sleep clung to her and it took an effort to pull herself out of it. She could almost feel Nick beside her as she reached for her phone to turn off the alarm. She tried to put the dream out of her head as she headed to the shower to get ready for work. The water ran, and she tried to get Nick out of her head. She tried to drown it out, but it was like he was still there with her. It felt less like a dream and more like a memory. She wasn't supposed to be the one affected by the Grimm. She supposed she should take it as a good sign. If she was feeling like this then the Grimm must be going crazy for her.

She came out of the shower, her hair dripping wet, a towel wrapped around her, affording her a modicum of privacy. There was someone there in the room; she could smell the lingering scent of his cologne. She could almost feel his presence, lurking nearby in the shadows, a prey sense, alerting her to the presence of a predator. She pretended not to notice. It was a game to her, letting him pretend that he was in control, that he had gotten the drop on her. She made her way into the living room and she heard his steps as he followed her, finally revealing himself.

"Sean, you surprised me. I had no idea you were there." She didn't bother trying to sound surprised. It was a game to her, but one she was already bored playing.

"How has your progress been going with your plan?" Sean asked, the animosity in his voice was not lost on her. As far as he was concerned she had botched the whole thing, and what happened next was on her.

She pulled her towel a little more securely around her. She wondered what he would do if she just dropped it right then and there. Perhaps that would be enough to break the careful facade he put up. It was almost intriguing enough to try.

"It's going well, he's rather taken with me, if I do say so myself. It won't be long before he will be offering me anything I want. You should have more faith in me; I do know what I'm doing." Sean didn't need to know that her most recent interaction with the Grimm had ended with an implied threat. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that her plan would work.

"You better. I'd hate to have to be forced to fix this mess." Sean's voice was hard, and she knew he meant it as a threat. She bristled at the implications. Did he think she was such a screw up that she would ruin everything?

"Why don't you just leave the thinking to me? Manipulating men is my specialty; I've had plenty of practice." She looked at him knowingly, letting the full implications of her words sink in.

He reacted before she could move. He grabbed her in a painful grip and pulled her towards him. It appeared that she had crossed the line by implying that he too was under her spell.

"This could end badly for all of us. You had one task, and you couldn't even do that. If you want to play these games then that's on you. But if this ends in disaster you might not like what I have to do to clean up the pieces." His voice was as hard as his grip, and she tried to pull away, but he wouldn't allow it. She pulled away again, harder this time and he let her go. She didn't respond as he turned to go, slamming the door behind him on his way out.

She stood still for a moment, thinking about what he had said. There was no way this could end badly. She knew what she was doing, she had everything under control. It was Sean who would learn to regret ever doubting her.

She pulled the shades closed, but before she did she peered out into the darkness, trying to confirm what she already suspected. A car was parked across the street, the driver was shrouded in shadow but she already knew who it was. She smiled to herself as she closed the curtains.


	4. Chapter 4

Adalind waited until the next morning to call him. She waited as she listened to the phone ringing, waiting for him to answer. She could almost see him looking at the phone, debating whether or not he should answer. He would be caught somewhere now, between hating her and wanting her. As it continued to ring she wondered briefly if he would decide to ignore her. But she heard the phone pick up with a curt, "What?" on the other end. Poor Grimm. This must be confusing for him, feeling the way he must be feeling now.

"Nick…I know I'm the last person you want to hear from right now. But there's something you need to know. Sean isn't who you think he is." He didn't say anything, but he also didn't hang up, so she was taking that as a good sign. "I know you think you can trust him, but you can't. He's a zauberbiest and he knows what you are. He's playing you."

There was a derisive sound from the other end of the line, "And I'm supposed to trust you? What makes you think I'd believe anything you say?"

"I'm not asking you trust me, Nick. I'm just trying to warn you. You need to be careful. Sean is playing you. He wants something from you, and he's dangerous, he won't let anything stop him. He wanted me to help him, he tried to make me help him. He wanted me to go after Hank, to manipulate him and use him to get to you. I refused, and he isn't happy about that. He was waiting for me last night, he wants me to help him, and he won't take no for an answer. I'm scared of what he might do to me, to you."

There was silence from the other end, and she waited, she knew he had seen Sean last night, he knew at least part of what she said was true.

"Why are you telling me all of this? Even if I did believe you, why would you want to help me?"

"You saved my life, and I know you might not believe it, but that means something to me. I don't want to be your enemy Nick. I think it could be beneficial to both of us if we were friends. You might believe that I want to help you, but I do. I know you don't trust me yet, but be careful of Sean. He's more dangerous than you know." It wasn't a lie. She might not be telling Nick everything, but it was true, Sean was not someone to be underestimated.

"Whatever is going on, I'm going to find out. Adalind, if you're lying to me…" His threat went unsaid. There was a pause before he spoke again. "If Renard bothers you again let me know." With that the line went dead. The conversation had gone better than she had hoped for. She knew he already had his doubts about Sean, and now she had given his suspicions more credence. She had given him a purpose, not a reason to trust her, but a reason to protect her. Whatever else he was, he was still a cop, and now he was the damsel in distress that he could ride in to save. Sean might not appreciate her turning him into their common enemy. But he wouldn't be able to argue with the results. Besides, if he wanted her as an ally then he should have listened to her from the beginning, instead of trying to control her.

Winning over the Grimm was proving more difficult than she had anticipated. With any other man, he wouldn't have been able to stay away from her. He should have beeShe couldn't be sure when he was going to be at the coffee shop she had first run into him. But she knew he was a regular, so she took to hanging around, trying to "accidentally" run into him. She was becoming dangerously close to a lethal amount of coffee before her efforts finally paid off.

She was sitting at a table by the window when he entered. She could see him hesitate, looking like he might just turn and go. But he was not one to be deterred and went to order his coffee, choosing to ignore her. After he ordered she stood up, and stopped him. She put a few bills on the counter, indicating that she would pay for his order. "You don't have to do that." His voice was more hostile than polite. "I know we got off on the wrong foot. Consider this my first attempt to make things right."

"You tried to kill my aunt. I'm not sure it's possible to make a worse first impression." He kept his voice low so that no one else could hear them. She leaned in, keeping her voice a harsh whisper, matching his. "She was a Grimm. As far as I knew she was going to try to kill me. I think I had good reason to be afraid."

She could see his expression soften slightly, more sad now than angry. "This must be hard for you, trying to figure all of this out." She said, her sympathy genuine. The most important person in his life had been lying to him, and he only now was discovering the truth. That had to be a lot to deal with.

"Look, I know you still don't trust me, but I think I could be an ally for you. If you have questions, or if you want to talk, give me a call. If you let me, I could be a valuable asset." She touched his hand with hers, nothing showy, just a gentle contact. He looked down briefly, but didn't pull away. He looked like he might say something else, but instead he took his coffee and turned to go with nothing more than a not unfriendly, "I'll be seeing you."

The next night she received a call from Nick. He was working a case and wanted to ask her questions about a possible wesen connection. They talked about his case, then about other things. As the time wore on, and he was still on the phone she knew he was thoroughly ensnared in her web. Poor Grimm, he never stood a chance.


	5. Chapter 5

She pulled the man into her apartment. She didn't know his name; Sean had mentioned it once, and the man had probably introduced himself. But she hadn't cared enough to listen. He didn't matter. He was just a prop to be used. It had been Sean's idea, to have a man come into her apartment; it was meant to make Nick jealous, furthering his obsession. She hated to admit it, but it was a good idea. The man, whatever his name was, leaned down and kissed her. It was an effort, and a testament to her acting abilities, to not pull away, to instead respond in kind. She pulled away after a moment and led him past the window, down the hall into her bedroom. She knew Nick was outside watching. Once in the bedroom she sighed, annoyed that they would have to be alone together. She looked at the time and debated how long it would before she could kick the man out of her apartment. It was supposed to be convincing if she wanted Nick to believe this was a real liaison.

"You know…" the man was speaking. Oh good. He planned to fill the dull silence with even duller conversation. "If we need this to be convincing, we could do it for real. We need to do something to pass the time, anyway." He gave her a big bad wolf smile as he leaned in, putting one arm on the bed next to her. When he leaned in to kiss her, she shoved him hard, making him stumble.

"I'd rather kiss a toad!" She didn't try to hide the disgust in her voice.

His lascivious look turned to one of anger at her words. "You bitch!" Before she could react, the man was being slammed against the wall. She knew Nick had been watching, would be jealous, but she had never expected him to go so far.

"Get out." Nick's voice was a low growl and the other man began to protest. But when Nick let him go he had the good sense to get out while he still could.

Nick turned to Adalind then, "Who was he?"

"No one important." She answered honestly. Nick still looked murderous, and she decided he needed further assurance, "He was a work acquaintance. He said he needed to come over to discuss a case. I guess he had other ideas in mind. He won't be coming around anymore, I can promise you that."

Nick nodded, apparently satisfied. She patted the side of the bed next to her in invitation, not that Nick seemed to need it. He was already moving towards her, leaning over her. She leaned into it when he leaned down to kiss her.

"You're mine." His voice was low and gruff, and she wound her hand into his shirt to pull him back in.

"Always." She wondered why it felt so right to say. She didn't know when this had stopped feeling like a game, and like something else. But at that moment she had more important things to worry about.

She laid in bed with her head resting against his chest. His breathing was a hollow echo.

"Nick, I don't want there to be any secrets between us. I know you know about the seven keys. I don't know what the keys lead to, but I know there is a lot of important people who want them. I've heard that you Aunt Marie might have had one of them. You'd tell me if you knew something about that, wouldn't you?" He was putty in her hands. He would give her the world, all she had to do was ask.

"I don't want you involved in that." His voice was firm, broaching no argument.

She sat up, looking at him; it wasn't an answer, at least not the one she had expected. "Nick…" She started, but he cut her off.

"That part of my life is too dangerous. I don't want you involved in the keys, or anything that has to do with anything that might put you in danger. I'm not going to let anything happen to you, and I'm not going to put you in harm's way."

"Trust me, I can take of myself. And I'll be better equipped to do that if you tell me everything you know about those keys."

"I can't lose you Adalind, I won't. I'll keep you safe, no matter what it takes. A lot of people are after those keys, a lot of dangerous people. The less involved you are the better."

No one had ever tried to protect her before. It was an unfamiliar feeling to have someone want to protect her, not use her towards their own ends. The spell should have made him obsessed with her and made him pliable to her will. It looked like there was more to the Grimm than she had realized. This might be more difficult than she had anticipated.


	6. Chapter 6

The next few days passed in a sort of haze for her. Nick told her that he had told Rosalee and Monroe that they were together and unsurprisingly, they weren't too keen on them being together. Nick couldn't seem to understand why. In his mind they were perfect together, and he didn't know why his friends weren't being more supportive. It was a good thing; he needed to be cut off from them. If anyone could find a way to break the spell she had cast on him, it would be Rosalee. Adalind found Nick to be her near constant shadow. He went with her whenever he was free, and called her when he was at work. He had initially suggested not going at all so he could stay with her and protect her. But she had insisted, ostensibly because what he did was important, and the precinct needed him. But the reality was if he started skipping work, people would notice. And it would do no one any good if people started getting suspicious over what was going on between them.

She used the time he was at work to search his house for the key his Aunt had had in her possession and that must surely be in his. But she couldn't find anything in his home. And he wouldn't tell her where his trailer was, he didn't want her involved in side of his life. He thought it was too dangerous for her, little did he know _she_ wasn't the one that needed protecting.

Sean was growing increasingly impatient with her lack of progress. Not more than a week into her experiment he had summoned her to the precinct. She had told him not to show up at her place anymore, it would be hard to explain to Nick if he saw Sean at her place. She had only deigned to show up to tell him exactly how far gone with her the Grimm was.

"Have you made any progress at all?" Sean asked, not trying to hide the scepticism in his voice.

"Yes, the Grimm is quite taken with me. He's been my shadow, wherever I am, he isn't far behind. He has already attested that he will do _anything_ for me." If she sounded smug, she had a right to be.

Sean didn't look at her, sorting through papers on his desk as if she was of little consequence to him.

"But have you made any practical progress? Nick is a cop, convincing him to help the helpless is hardly an accomplishment. Has he told you anything, have you seen his trailer yet?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact. I'd share, but after the way you doubted me, I'm not feeling particularly inclined to share with the class."

Sean looked up, his eyes narrowed. "You're lying. My mother is a powerful hexenbeist, she taught me how tell when someone is lying to me. Don't try to play me Adalind that is a game you will not win."

"Fine." Her voice was venomous, "I need more time. He's gotten it into his head that he needs to protect me. He isn't willing to involve me in anything that might put me in harm's way, and apparently that includes all things Grimm. It is only a matter of time until I have exactly what I want."

"Are you even looking? Or have you become trapped in your own web and fallen for Nick?"

"No, of course not. Don't be ridiculous." Her denial came a beat too late, and Sean was too smart to have missed the hesitation.

"I'm done with this. I shouldn't have let you do this at all. I'm ending it."

"And how do you expect to do that?" Without knowing what she gave Nick to make him fall for her, there was only one way to break the spell. And even Sean wouldn't go that far.

"That is none of your concern. You tried it your way and failed, as I predicted. Leave it to me."

Adalind all but rolled her eyes at that. It didn't matter what Sean thought, her plan wasn't working out as she wanted, she would get what she wanted, and it would only take time. Adalind left Sean to whatever Machiavellian plot he was no doubt cooking up. She tried to catch a glimpse of Nick on her way out, but as she suspected he was nowhere to be seen. She had figured Sean wouldn't have called her in unless Nick was safely off making the world a safer place.

She found that increasingly she thought about Nick, she dreamed about him at night. The only time she felt right was when they were together. She would get what she wanted in time, she just wasn't positive what that was anymore.

She paced the length of her apartment, thinking about what Sean had said. She didn't want to admit that he had gotten to her. But she knew he was clever enough and vindictive enough that he was someone she didn't want as an enemy. She had been skirting the line by outright going against him. But as long as she got results he would come around in the end. Her continued failure meant Sean had no reason to tolerate her anymore. She wondered what he was going to do, how he planned on "ending" her involvement with the Grimm. It hadn't escaped her that he intended to end her. Or the Grimm. She wasn't sure which bothered her more.

When she heard the key turn and saw Nick in the doorway she let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.

"Nick, welcome home. I was getting worried about you." She tried to keep her voice calmer than she felt; she didn't want him to see how scared she had been. "I saw Sean today, and I think he's going to come after us. He can't stand seeing us together, and I'm worried what he might do."

Nick locked the door behind him and put down his keys, taking his gun out of the holster and setting it down as well, before he finally looked at her.

"He called me in to his office today. He told me things about you, about you're past. I think he was trying to scare me."

She wanted to tell him it was all lies, but it was likely true. She doubted there were any lies Sean could come up with would be worse than the truth. "What he said…"

"I don't care if it is true or not. I know you, Adalind. I know the real you. I don't care what you've done or who you were before. That doesn't matter anymore."

She froze, that was not what she had been expecting. It looked like her Grimm was full of surprises. "You don't care? Nick, there's something you should know."

"You don't have to be defined by your past. Rosalee was a drug addict, and Monroe, well to be honest I don't want the details of what Monroe used to do. But they aren't those people anymore. They don't have be held back by their past. And the fact that Sean thought I would hate you because of what you might have done before only goes to show that he doesn't know you like I do."

It was such a beautiful sentiment; she wished that she could believe him. Perhaps he believed it, but she knew better. People only cared for her to the degree that she was useful, and she returned the favour. She didn't believe anyone could care for her without wanting something in return, but perhaps she could pretend; if only for a little longer.

He put his hand in hers and pulled her in against him, kissing her. She felt herself relaxing into him, when she was close to him, it felt like nothing else mattered, only they existed.

There was sharp copper taste of blood on his tongue and she pulled away too late. She stumbled back, already feeling something happening. She touched her lip and her hand came away red, it was his blood. Had this all been a long con for him, had he done all of this just to get close to her, to do this to her?

She felt his hands on her, steadying her, and she tried to pull away, but he held her fast.

"Adalind, I'm sorry. I know you don't understand, but it's going to be okay. I talked to Rosalee, she said Sean did something to you. He gave you something, and my blood was the only way to cure you. It's going to be okay."

She fell into him all the strength leaving her. It felt like she was being ripped apart from the inside out. "I'll do anything to protect you," Nick's voice sounded like it was coming from a great distance. "I love you." It was the last thing she heard before the darkness took her.


	7. Chapter 7

She took a desperate breath as she came too. The warmth of Nick's grasp was gone, and she was lying alone on the cold floor. She felt different, as if she had died and come back incomplete. Her hexenbeist was dead. She was human now. "Nick…" She didn't know if she was calling him or accusing him now. She was alive, but she felt empty where her hexenbeist had been ripped out of her. She pulled herself into a sitting position and looked up to see the Grimm standing over her.

"I can't believe I was so blind." There was no warmth in his voice. "You did this me, you tricked me and lied to me, and _drugged_ me. I guess Rosalee was right, my blood was the only way to break the spell. I can't believe I thought I was saving you, that you needed to be saved at all."

He looked at her like she was a monster, and maybe she was. She didn't try to stop him when he turned and walked out, slamming the door behind him.

She pulled herself up, and reached for her phone. Right now all she wanted was to hear a familiar voice, talk to someone who didn't hate her. She dialled the number and her call was picked up almost immediately.

"Mother. Something happened."

"Adalind, what happened?"

She explained everything, what she had done, what Sean had wanted, what Nick had done. Once she stopped talking there was a long silence on the other end.

"How could you let this happen to you? How were you careless enough not to anticipate this possibility?"

"I think… I think I was starting to fall for him. I never thought he would do anything like this. I guess I wasn't thinking."

"I thought I taught you better than that. Love is a weakness. Fortunately, it is not a weakness that we both share." And with that the line went dead, leaving Adalind alone.

* * *

There was a pounding on her door. She didn't answer it, didn't go to look to see who it was. It didn't matter who it was, it was no one good. She knew that without a shadow of a doubt because right now she didn't have a friend in the world. There was not one person in the god-forsaken world who would want to talk to her right now, that she would want to talk to. She ignored the increasing insistence of the knocking. She wondered if she could call the cops. It might help, but it might not. Nick had influence and so did Sean. Even if she called the cops it would be easy enough for Sean to intervene, say that Adalind had been causing trouble and she was lying, no matter what she said. The knocking stopped. There was a sound, and she knew what was coming. She grabbed her cellphone off the table and began to dial as the door opened. She moved back holding one hand up to her intruder while the call went through.

"Do you think that's going to make a difference?" His smile was twisted and unkind while he reached for her. She stumbled back, and he followed her, grabbed the phone from her hand and held it up to his ear listening to the voice on the other side.

"This is Burkhardt; I was in the area when I saw something happening. I've got it covered; I'll call if I need backup." With that he hung up the phone and threw it down on the counter. It was just them now.

"What do you want from me?" Her voice was desperate; she didn't try to hide her fear. There was no point. But she didn't understand why he was here. He had already taken everything from her. She had nothing left.

He took a step closer to her, and she took a step back. She backed away until she felt the wall at her back. He stalked towards her slowly; everything about him spoke to the predator that she now understood he was. She had thought she was in control, she had thought she could manipulate him and play him. But now she understood she had never been in control. He was her natural enemy, and all she had done was make him hate more than he had before. She had played with forces she couldn't control and now it was her turn to pay. Her hand slid back along the counter trying to feel for a knife or something to defend herself with. His hand shot out and grabbed her wrist, stopping her.

"I want to know what you did to me." He spoke slowly, leaning in. "Tell me what you did."

"You know what I did. And what does it matter now, Rosalee fixed you. It's over now, why won't you just leave me alone?"

"Not that. What did you do me since then? There's something wrong with me, and you have to be the cause. You need to fix me. Now."

She shook her head in denial to his words and to the whole situation. "I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't do anything to you. I couldn't do anything to you. I don't have my powers anymore, you made sure of that. If there's something wrong with you then it has nothing to do with me."

"No. It has to be you. It's like before, I can't stop thinking about you. You're in my head, in my dreams. I can't get rid of you. It's like you're there all the time. I can't look at anyone else; all I can think of is you."

Her eyes widened at that. Is that what this was about? She felt a small thrill in the pit of his stomach, something deep that had been growing in her since she first saw Nick. Something she had desperately wanted to deny. It couldn't be real, what she felt, it couldn't be real. But if Nick felt it too she might be able to use it to her advantage.

"Maybe… Maybe it's not me. Maybe it's not obsession or spells. Maybe it's something else. Nick, I think it might be love." It was a stretch, and she held her breath for a beat while she waited for an answer. She saw surprise then suspicion pass over his features.

"This isn't love. Do you even know what love is?" His voice was sharp. She had betrayed him. It struck her with an unexpected force. She had put him under her spell, manipulated and twisted him. But somewhere in there the spark of something deep and real had been ignited. And when he found out what she had done it had been a betrayal. She thought of the way she felt about Sean. That hadn't been love, it had been something deep and intense, but never love. But he was wrong; she did understand what love was. It had taken her a long time to understand, but she finally knew.

Her free hand went to her stomach in an unconsciously protective gesture. "Yes, I think I do." His eyes narrowed, and she wondered if he thought she was playing him again. "Nick, tell me what you want me to do. Tell me how to fix this."

"Tell me the truth, that's all I want." There was an impossibly deep hurt in his voice when he spoke to her. She hated herself for causing him that pain and in that moment she would have done anything to take it away.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything. That's the truth. I didn't do anything to you, not since you took away my powers, I can't. You are the only person who has ever been good to me and I ruined all of that. If I could take it back I would. Please, Nick, I'm sorry." She wanted to pretend she was playing him still. She wanted to believe she was telling him what he wanted to know to keep herself safe. But everything had been taken away from her, and for the first time she was beyond games or lies. Nick had seen a side of her she had never let anyone see before. It might already be too late to salvage anything between them, but all her deceits had been stripped away and perhaps for the first time she was being honest. She reached her free hand up towards him but hesitated a moment before reaching out to press her palm against his cheek. He closed his eyes and leaned into the touch and for a moment she could feel the weight of everything she could have had with him. But then the moment was gone, and he pulled away.

She took his hand then and placed it over her stomach, for a moment she thought he was going to pull away again, but she placed her hand over his. "Nick, I'm pregnant. And it's yours. I know it wasn't what either of us planned to happen, but I want this child. And I want you. Please, forgive me, if not for my sake, for the sake of our child."

He no longer looked angry, he just looked empty.

"If you're lying…"

"I'm not I swear."

He was studying her carefully and for a moment she thought he might just leave, leave her alone with her pain and her guilt.

"Why should I trust you? Even without your powers you can still do damage to me, to those I care about." She hated that she was no longer a part of the latter category.

The fear that had started ebb away began to creep back in.

"What are you going to do?" She tried to keep her voice steady but she could hear the way it shook.

"I don't know. I don't know what to do anymore. I can't think straight when it comes to you." He looked lost and in that moment she could see the Nick she loved. He wanted to do the right thing, he just didn't know what it was.

He looked down at the place where their hands had joined. They were connected now, in a way that neither of them had ever expected.

"If you believe nothing else, believe in this." She wasn't sure he would even believe her, but the anger was gone, leaving only pain behind. She hated seeing her Grimm like this and she hated herself for being the one who caused that pain.

She reached her hand up again and cradled his cheek, this time he didn't pull away from her touch. "I know I hurt you, but I can make it better. Stop fighting against what you know you want. I can give you what you want. I can make the pain go away." She leaned up, slowly, hesitantly; she still wasn't sure how he would react. But he was still and made no move to stop her. She closed the distance between them and pressed her lips against his in a soft kiss. He grabbed her arm and for a moment she thought he intended to push her away. Instead he pulled her in crushing their lips together in a painful kiss. He pulled her body hard against his and she went willingly. He wasn't gentle and she wouldn't have wanted it any other way.


	8. Chapter 8

When she woke up the cold grey light of morning was streaming through the shades of her window. She stretched out in her bed, feeling better than she had in a while. She reached out, almost unconsciously seeking out Nick. But her bed was cold and the place where Nick had been was empty, the crumpled sheets the only sign he was ever there. Images of the night before flashed through her mind, the way he smelled, the feel of him. She wanted to be glad he was gone. It was better this way, she had been on her own for most of her life, no reason that should change now. She tried not to think about him, the sound of his voice, the way he looked at her. He was a Grimm, it would never work out. She had been playing him and that was all. It was ridiculous she had ever allowed herself to entertain thoughts to the contrary. She got dressed and wondered if she would see him again. She supposed there was a chance she would see him around. Not that it mattered; his absence was a clear indication of how he felt about her. At least it had turned out better than she would have expected an encounter with a Grimm to go. She put her hand against her stomach thinking about what this would mean for their child. She had grown up without a father and she had turned out fine. Maybe not _fine_ exactly _,_ but she was self-sufficient and her child wouldn't have a mother that was a cold hearted bitch. That had to count for something. She walked out of her bedroom and into her living room.

It turned out she would see Nick a lot sooner than she had thought. The sound of dishes clicking and the smell of something cooking hit her as soon as she entered the room. She walked into the kitchen to find Nick making breakfast. He didn't look up when she entered the room, but she saw the way his shoulders tensed, the only indication that he knew he was no longer alone.

"Morning." His voice was still sleep rough and she could guess he hadn't been up that much longer than her. Her heart beat a little faster when she heard his voice. Her hadn't abandoned her, it would seem. Someone in her life had decided to stick around, that was a first.

"Good morning. I didn't expect you to still be here." Maybe it was a bad idea to admit it, but she wasn't feeling quite herself around him. She was done trying to play the Grimm, she knew now without a doubt she was no longer the one in control, not since she had started feeling something she couldn't quite explain for Nick. Or maybe it was something she didn't want to explain.

"Did you sleep okay?"

"Yes, I did, thank you." She lied. She hadn't even gone a day before breaking her promise to be honest with him. "Sorry, quite badly, actually. I barely slept last night."

His mouth turned down at the corners, "Me neither. I'm not sure what it was, but I couldn't seem to sleep." He looked back down at the pan and she slid up onto a chair next to the counter. They both politely didn't acknowledge how awkward the situation was.

There was a long silence that stretched on long enough for Adalind to start to speak a few times, each time, deciding against it.

"How are you feeling? Any morning sickness?" Nick asked, the concern in his voice sounding genuine.

"No, not all. My mother said she never had a problem with that, and I've heard that sort of thing is genetic." Speaking of her mother made her feel a little sick at the memory of her betrayal and she looked down, trying to hold back the flood of pain she felt. Her mother had taught her to always be strong, and that emotion was a weakness. It looked like Adalind had failed her mother in more ways than one.

He looked back at that, watching her appraisingly. Before looking away again. "We need to talk."

There it was, the speech she had heard a million times. 'This was great, you were great, but this was a one time thing. We had something special, but it's time to move on.' Usually she was the one giving it, not the one of the receiving end. And usually her stomach didn't drop the way it did when Nick said it. She took a breath and braced herself, she would act like she didn't care. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her hurt. Maybe this had all been a game, a way to pull her in just to cut her loose. Maybe he just wanted to hurt her, and maybe she deserved it.

"It isn't safe for you here. Since you lost your powers you're vulnerable. And I'm guessing there's more than one person you pissed off. Once it gets around that you don't have your powers anymore there might be a lot of wesen who want to take advantage of that. It isn't safe for you to stay here, especially in your condition. I can't protect you here. You need to pack a bag and come with me. You can stay with me. With everything that's happened we need to find a more secure place to live, somewhere, where no one can find us, if we don't want them to. Until then my house will have to do. And I talked to Rosalee, she said you could stay at the spice shop if need be."

She didn't know what to say. It wasn't phrased like a request. A part of her wanted to argue, to tell him to go to Hell, that she could take care of herself. But she knew he was right, she was vulnerable now, in a way she had never been before. But he was wrong about one thing; it wasn't losing her powers that put her in danger. For the first time in her life she had something important to her, more important than her own wellbeing.

The thought of being with Nick, of seeing him every day, of not having to say goodbye, it was more appealing than she wanted to admit. She didn't know if he planned on giving her a choice in the matter, but either way the answer would be yes.

She stood without responding for a beat, and it prompted him to look at her, a question in his eyes. "You want… to keep me safe?" She asked stupidly, it wasn't the right response, but it was the only one she had at that moment.

"Of course I do. I don't know what you did to me. I don't know if it's the lingering side effects of the spell, or something else. But I can't stand the thought of you getting hurt. And if you are pregnant then your child is innocent. Whatever you may have done, that will never change."

It hadn't escaped her that he had said "if". He still wasn't sure he believed she was carrying his child, but all the same, he wanted to keep her safe. In her whole life no one had ever truly wanted to protect her. In her world a person's investment in her only extended as far as she was able to do something for them. But Nick wanted to keep her safe, because he… what, he cared? The spell was broken, and yet here he was, offering her everything she had never known she wanted.

She didn't know what to say, so she didn't say anything, and Nick didn't seem to need a response. Her corporation seemed a forgone conclusion to him.

They ate breakfast in relative silence. Beyond thanking Nick for his efforts there wasn't much to say. She still found herself wanting to touch him, move closer to him. She wondered if Nick was feeling the same way. She knew it wasn't the spell, her powers were gone, and with it the spell she had cast over them. It would appear there was another sort of magic at work here.

After breakfast she started to pack anything she would need. It was mostly just clothes. Packing made her realize how little she had that held sentimental value to her. She had things from her mother, brushes and items for spell work. She took the latter, because it could be valuable, not because of any lingering emotion she held for her mother. There were no pictures that she needed to take, there was no one in her life that she wanted to remember or needed a reminder of, no one except for Nick. And, it would appear, he wasn't going anywhere. Nick waited for her in the living room. She didn't know what she would do with the things that remained or with her apartment for that matter. She supposed it would depend on how it all worked out. She would keep it for the time being so that she would have a place to go… just in case. But it felt empty and hollow to her now, devoid of anything meaningful. She had always lived a transient life, never strongly tied to anyone or anything. Looking back now, the idea suddenly felt pointless.

When she was done she had one bag with her clothes and another with what remained of the hexenbeist she had been – vials, books, and the like. Perhaps Rosalee could make use of it.

"Ready?" Nick asked and reached out to take her bags from her. She nodded her assent and followed him outside. She took the time to lock up before she went and took one last look at the home she had known. It felt like she was leaving behind more than just the life she had known, she was leaving behind a part of who she was. It should be sad, but right now all she felt was free.

A/N: I know this ending is a little opened ended, but there WILL be more. I had initially planned on this story being about 10K longer, but RL issues prevented me from getting the rest finished in time to post for the Smallfandom bang. I decided to break it up into two stories, this is the end (for now) but there is going to be at least one more story following this one. Since I have a good portion of the next part written I will start posting that in the next day or two.


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